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NOTE:
This document is a Controller of Surveys Policy manual to be used as a
general guideline for the preparation and examination of road survey
plans. The document is intended to provide practical and efficient
methods for conducting Legal Surveys that satisfy the needs of all
stakeholders and to continue to contribute to the preservation of the
Saskatchewan Legal Survey System. Reference should still be made to
the various Acts and Regulations pertaining to specific situations which
may or may not be included in this document.
While every reasonable precaution has been taken in the preparation of this Policy manual, the author and
publishers assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or for uses made of the material contained
herein and the decision based on such use. Neither the author nor the publishers make any images,
warranties or guarantees of any kind, either express or implied and shall not be liable for any indirect,
special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the contents of this
manual whether the author or publisher has been advised of the use of this publication or not.
General plan preparation and Northern Road Right of Way Survey items were
removed as they were duplicated in Drafting Requirements for the Preparation
of Plans and the General Instructions For Surveys and Plans Outside the
Provincial Survey System. As well amendments The Land Survey Regulations,
2014 changed the plan submission requirements.
The Road Survey Guide dated December 23, 2011 that replaced the previous Manual of
Instructions, dated April 21, 2011, included the following changes:
The Road Survey Guide dated April 21, 2011 that replaced the previous Manual of
Instructions, dated April 1999, included the following changes:
New category for Road Easements, which will allow clients to register easements
against titled parcels.
The category called Maintenance Surveys in the previous manual has been
changed to Reference Surveys to reflect the plan purpose that is currently
available within the Land Surveys Directory.
Reference Monuments, referencing the road monuments, are only required where
the primary corners fall within the new road right of way.
1. Monuments Monuments
a) A monument in this manual shall consist of a standard iron post as defined in the
regulations under The Land Surveys Act, 2000.
b) In all cases monuments shall be buried a minimum of 0.15 metres below ground
level unless field conditions dictate otherwise.
c) Where a monument cannot be established due to a natural or manmade feature or
the position is hazardous, the position shall be referenced by a monument at a
suitable distance and the said distance shown on the plan of survey.
Reference
2. Reference Monuments Monuments
a) A reference monument in this manual shall consist of a standard iron post as
defined in the regulations under The Land Surveys Act, 2000.
b) Reference monuments shall be marked RM.
c) The reference distance shall be established at 20 metres and shall be increased or
decreased only if field conditions dictate otherwise.
d) Governing monument
i. The reference monument shall govern the position of the primary monument
or road right of way monument which references a primary monument,
except in the case where the original monument is found, in which case the
original monument shall govern.
ii. Should any discrepancies arise from sub-section 2 (d)(i) above, the error
shall be noted, the reference monument corrected and a full report submitted
to the Controller of Surveys office.
Marker
3. Marker Posts Posts
b) A marker in this manual shall consist of a marker post as defined in the
regulations under The Land Surveys Act, 2000.
c) A marker may be placed at all found, established or re-established monuments
except as stated in Sub-sections 3(d), (e) and (f) of this Part. If it is not possible
to place a marker, a note may be placed on the plan of survey stating the reason.
eg: Pl. I.P. R1 in cult or Pl. I.P. R1 in hazardous position.
d) When markers are used:
i. The marker shall be placed approximately 0.30 metres inside the surveyed
right of way at approximately 90 degrees to the bearing of the new survey.
In the case of a Public Improvement, the marker shall be placed 0.30 metres
inside the parcel at approximately the deflection angle.
ii. Where topography prevents the placement of a marker as outlined in Sub-
section 3. (c) (i), of this Part, the marker shall be placed on either side of the
monument on the surveyed line and as close to the monument as reasonably
possible, and the said distance shown on the plan of survey, e.g. - Mr. 1
metre N.
e) In no case shall a marker be placed at a reference monument or on private
property except at the quarter section corner where there is no road allowance
(blind line).
f) Markers may be omitted in areas of cultivation or where in the opinion of the
Surveyor the marker may be hazardous. Markers may also be omitted in
developed urban areas where, in the opinion of the Surveyor, property boundaries
are evident.
Survey
5. Survey Connections Connections
6. Re-establishments Re-establishments
a) When re-establishing the position of a primary corner from a road monument that
was originally established at 90 to the primary corner, the 90 angle shall be
taken from the direction of the lower marked road monument.
7. Curves Curves
a) When re-surveying replacement curves for constructed spiral curves which were
based on prescribed tables (Arc definition), the curves shall be resurveyed as
compound curves showing complete curve information for each curve and a total
delta and total sub-tangent.
Non-
c) Where a simple curve ends at a line that is not tangent to the curve, the angle Tangential
between that line and radius shall be shown.
9. Tolerances Tolerances
When a survey is performed, where a previously surveyed road right of way plan
exists and numerous significant errors have been detected on the plan such that a
resurvey of a portion or all of the plan is required to confirm the position of certain
corners, the Surveyor shall resurvey a portion or all of the plan. The portion or the
entire previous plan surveyed will then be abandoned in lieu of the new plan.
a) All plans of survey prepared in accordance with this manual shall be submitted to
the Controller of Surveys for examination and approval. The Controller may
approve plans that do not conform to this manual where special or peculiar
circumstances exist justifying a departure from the same.
b) The plan of survey shall be accompanied by a Surveyors Report. The report
shall contain all information that may be pertinent to the plan of survey and shall
describe any unusual survey procedures or survey evidence used in the re-
establishment of monuments.
1. Monuments Monuments
2. Deflections Deflections
A road right of way monument marking a deflection point shall be extended to the
nearest section line or quarter section line where possible. If the deflection is too
large to allow this, a suitable location shall be located, if conditions permit, so that
the monument shall not be disturbed by construction.
Unposted
4. Unposted Parcels Parcels
Where a new road right of way intersects a parcel that is not defined by a plan of
survey (Metes and Bounds parcel), the intersections shall not be monumented. Filed
and non-titled plans shall not be intersected or tied in unless required for re-
establishment purposes (filed plans shall be shown as dashed lines on the plan).
c) Where the unmonumented limit of the new survey intersects the DPI Farm Yard
Site, a standard iron post shall be established on the limit of the new survey
referencing the intersection point.
Angles and distances shall be shown on all sides of the intersecting point on the
new plan of survey.
River Lots
6. River Lots
Where the new road right of way passes through river lots, intersections are required
on surveyed river lot lines.
Where the width of the new road is greater than 62 metres, both limits shall be
considered as separate surveyed lines and shall be monumented. The monuments
shall be marked on one limit. Except for situations described in Section 7 of this
Part, only one limit of the right of way shall be referenced.
Where the new widening is adjacent to an existing widening, the plan shall be
prepared to retake the first widening so two posted limits are not created. In cases
of dual laning this may not be required.
c) Where a parallel extra width or restriction occurs on the unposted limit of the
road right of way, at minimum a single monument shall be established on the
monumented limit opposite one end of the extra width or the restriction.
c) When a surveyed road right of way lies adjacent to a railway right of way, where
the title to the right of way was secured according to a plan of survey showing
spirals thereon, terminal curves as adopted by the different railway companies
shall be substituted therefore and shown on the plan of survey.
a) Where the unposted limit of a road right of way intersects a previously surveyed
quarter section line, subdivision, parcel, or railway station grounds, the limit shall
be monumented in accordance with Section 1 of this Part, and the monuments
need not be numbered. Adequate connections shall be shown to connect the
information to the survey.
NOTE: Angular or linear ties are not required east or west of the road allowance unless
required for re-establishment purposes.
b) Where the new road right of way intersects a previously surveyed reservoir or
drainage ditch where the entire perimeter has been monumented and a deflection
exists on that survey within the new right of way, both limits of the new road
right of way shall be monumented at the intersections. Intersections with all other
registered plans shall be monumented as stated in Section 1 of this Part.
d) In situations where the surveyed limit is not parallel to the road allowance and
where quarter section lines are significantly off theoretic bearings, to an amount
that the monument established at 90 degrees from surveyed limit is significantly
off the theoretical quarter line, the monument shall be established at an angle
other than 90 degrees, so that the monument will be established within 0.3 metres
of the theoretical quarter line.
Cross Country
20. Cross Country Roads Roads
a) Where a road right of way is surveyed through a section and the surveyed limit
does not fall on a section or quarter section line, or the section or quarter section
line does not fall within the right of way, monuments may be established on the
road right of way limit in the interior of the section.
Consolidation
of Road
Diversions
b) Where a previously surveyed road right of way lying outside the new road right
of way is to be entirely abandoned in favor of a new road right of way survey, the
previously surveyed road right of way does not have to be retraced unless it is
required for re-establishment purposes. The line of approval shown on the plan of
survey will go around the entire source parcel and the title block shall reflect the
consolidation.
Methods and
Methods and Accuracy Accuracy
1. Tolerances Tolerances
Standard legal survey practice shall apply for the legal survey observations. The
maximum allowable error in misclosure shall not exceed one part in five thousand or
50 ppm.
Connections
Connections
Legal Survey
5. Legal Survey Connections Connections
Connections shall be made to legal surveys that are existing within 500 metres of the
new survey, and shall include a minimum of two (2) existing monuments. The
acceptability of a connection is dependent on the local terrain, methodology used and
the amount of additional fieldwork required. For example utilizing appropriate
Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements would enable connections to
monuments more distant than if conventional survey methods were used. The
primary principal is that surveys may not overlap, and care should be taken to ensure
that small gaps between nearby surveys do not occur.
7. Units
All measured lengths shall be reduced to horizontal at general ground level and Units
expressed in metres and decimals thereof on the plan of survey.
8. Procedures Procedures
Legal Surveys on Northern Road Right of Ways shall be performed in accordance
with the provisions of Part II of this manual except as noted hereafter.
9. Curves Curves
Simple curves shall be used except where, in the opinion of the Surveyor, compound
curves are required to properly retrace construction curves. Constructed highway
spirals shall be surveyed as outlined in Section 12 in Part II.
Legal survey monuments shall be established at the commencement and end of the
survey, beginning and end of curves, deflection points, and adjacent to survey
control. The maximum distance between monuments shall not exceed 1000 metres.
Where it is impossible or impracticable to establish a monument on a new road right
of way limit, the monument shall be established on the right of way limit on either
side of the obstruction or at 90 degrees from the survey line opposite the point.
1. Monuments Monuments
4. Obstructions Obstructions
Where it is impossible or not practicable to establish a monument on the Public
Improvement limit due to a slough, marsh or other obstruction, a monument shall be
established referencing the obstructed corner on either limit with measurements
shown to the referenced monument.
1. Monuments Monuments
Where the original road allowance has not been widened by the registration of a road
right of way plan, it shall be required that all section, quarter section and secondary
monuments on the section line being referenced be found or re-established.
a) Correction Lines shall be referenced both north and south and Range Lines where
there is a change in the systems of surveys shall be referenced both east and west
of the section lines affected, in the manner prescribed above. A connection shall
be made between both lines as stated in Part I, Section 8.
Reference Surveys
Reference Surveys on Existing Road and Right of Way Plans on Existing Road
and Right of Way
These surveys are basically retracement surveys of road right of way plans not Plans
previously monumented with reference monuments and shall be surveyed as
outlined hereafter. These instructions cover previous road surveys that were:
monumented with intermediate monuments
had monuments established at 90 degrees to the section
quarter section corners and were done under a previous manual with no
reference monuments established.
Road easement surveys are performed in the same manner as a surface road right of way
as per Part I and II of this manual with the following exceptions:
Right of Way
1. Right of Way Limits Parallel and Not Parallel Limits Parallel
Where the feature road easement right of way is parallel and adjacent to a road and Not Parallel
allowance or an approved/registered road widening, the existing monuments marking
the road allowance or road widening may be used to govern the limits of the road
easement. In all situations a plan of survey is required.
Title Block
Title Block
1. Heading Heading
2. Legend Legend
All parcels within the line of approval have extension 0.
S.L.S.D. stands for Saskatchewan Land Surveys Directory
NOTE: Condominium plans are the exception. They cannot be combined with any other
plan type or land layer.
Some examples of situations where combined purpose plans can be used are:
To create a new road right of way by plan of survey and consolidate the
remainders of a parcel by Descriptive plan II.
To create a new road right of way and subdivide a parcel by plan of survey and
consolidate the remainder of a parcel by Descriptive Plan II.
To create a new road right of way and a Reference Survey by plan of survey.
The title block shall state the plan type with the highest hierarchy (Plan of Survey being
the highest level, Descriptive Plan Type I being next and Descriptive Plan Type II being
the lowest). The land layer (surface, mineral or feature) shall be shown next. Then each
plan purpose shall be listed in order of its hierarchy.
a) When a new curve intersects a surveyed line the curve intersection measurements
to survey lines shall include:
i. Distance from BC and/or EC to intersection on sub-tangent or chord.
ii. Angle with sub-tangent or chord at intersection.
iii. Distance from the intersection on sub-tangent or chord to intersection of
curve.
www.isc.ca 50 Road Surveys Guide v1.0 October 4, 2014
Curve intersection based on subtangent ties:
2. Areas Areas
a) Areas on road easement right of way (feature plans) shall be shown in hectares to
the second decimal point within the source parcel.
b) Areas on surface road plans shall be shown in hectares in the source parcel.
i. To the second decimal point for RM Roadways. In the case of area within a
lot it may be shown to the third decimal.
ii. To the third decimal point for Highway Right of Ways and Public
Improvement surveys. In the case of area within a lot it may be shown to the
fourth decimal. Areas less than four decimals shall be shown to square
metres or portions thereof.
Example A:
Example B:
Example C:
Example D:
b) On feature road easement right of way plans, a unique parcel designator in the form
of a letter shall be assigned to the new right-of-way within each source parcel. The
lettering shall be consecutive and unique throughout the plan.
a) Where a cross-country road crosses a water body, the road parcel shall be a
continuous single parcel not broken by the water body with a single parcel identifier
and area shown on the plan. The water body bank within the road parcel and the
bank traverse lines shall be dashed lines.
b) Where a road widening is adjacent to an original road allowance, the widening lines
shall stop at the water bank and no area shall be taken within the water body on the
widening. The original road allowance shall be one continuous parcel, not broken by
the water body.
The monumented limit shall be shown as a solid line through the road allowance.
Support
Support Documents Documents
d) Upon the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure approval of the plan, a TAC